Former President Donald Trump reportedly claimed on Friday that the FBI faked a box of documents being knocked over for photos used in the indictment about his alleged misuse of secret information in a post on Truth Social.
Trump said on Truth Social on Thursday that he had been informed by his counsel that he was facing an indictment as a consequence of an investigation into secret papers that were the focus of a raid on his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, on August 8.
One of the boxes of documents found during the raid was knocked over, causing images and other materials to flow out, according to a photo in the 49-page indictment that was unveiled on Friday.
“Today an indictment was unsealed charging Donald J. Trump with violations of our national security laws along with conspiracy to obstruct justice. This indictment was voted by a grand jury of citizens in the Southern District of Florida, and I invite everyone to read it in full to understand the scope and the gravity of the crimes charged. The men and women of the U.S. intelligence community and our Armed Forces dedicate their lives to protecting our nation and its people.” Special Counsel Jack Smith said in a statement.
While the majority of Republican contenders for president denounced the indictment, billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy said he would pardon Trump.
Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the House, and Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana both criticized the indictment on Twitter.
[READ MORE: DeSantis Blasts ‘Weaponization’ of Federal Law Enforcement in Wake of Trump Indictment]
